NRL Analysis: Why Teams Go For Short Dropouts

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The NRL removed all of the risk from attempting short dropouts in the name of “faster, more free-flowing and unpredictable game". In reality, the dropouts are predictable, and should the kicking team win it, we’re rewarded as viewers with a deep yardage set…

But the rule, despite how poorly it was thought out in the first place, won’t change, and teams have since adjusted.

A commenter on Reddit inspired this look into short dropouts:

“Dragons obviously went the short one in the above game, much to the match thread's unified disgust. Much like the concept of "professional coaches tend to know what they're doing", there has to be solid reasoning behind it.”

“Going long, first tackle would usually start around the 30? Are or aren't the future outcomes for that set and knock on effect of subsequent sets preferable for the rolling of the dice on the short one?”

“There's also some contextual factors depending on the flow of the game and the game clock. Hindsight being 20/20 with a few minutes to go, do you just boot the shit out of it and get it as far away from your try line as possible?”

The benefit of not booting the shit out of it is seen here: